Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-07-14
The Late Ben. Perley Poore.

An Athens, Ga. correspondent writes
the louisville Courier journal as fol-
lows: The death of Mai. Ben Perley
Poorc, the noted Washington cores
pendent, recalls the fact that for a time
he was "A resident of Georgia. When
very Young he was the editor of the
paper now known rs the Athens Ban
Her- Waterman. He was preceded by
his father, who, at the time of his ar
rival there, was man on the shady
side of life The senior PORES first
enterprise was the establishment OF a
sheep iarm on the hillsidcs of Rabun
county After operating this industry
for yeer or two he finally settled in
Athens A few months afterward
Ben Perley Poore arrived from the
the north and took mp his residence
with his father About that time the
Southern Wing was in successful opera
ton there, its editor and proprietor
being James w. Jones. Jones was
anxious to have a wider field, and had
regarded the Augusta Chronicle with
favorable eyes. The purchase of the
Chronicle was dependent upon the sale
of the Southern WING. Jones finally
managed to sell the Wing to the
elder Poore for $4,000, taking Poore's
notes for the same, and, with these
notes discounted, he managed to pro-
cure sufficient money to enable him to
buy the Chronicle, of Augusta. When
the Southern Wing passed into the
elder PORES hands Ben. Perley Poore
became its editor At that time he
was fair-haired smooth-faced, amia-
ble-looking young man, a few years
beyond his majority. Fresh from the
north, he entertained the views of h )
negroes was from n northern stand
point, uniniluenced by his southern
environment.
After holding the helm of the Wing
for year or two he lost caste with the
people by his connection with a negro
ball. 1t is not definitely known whether
Poore gave the ball he attended or was
simply there as spectator. 1t is gem
orally believed that he was present as
an interested spectator, as he was said
not to have participated in the amuse-
ment of the evening. 1t can be said
to his credit that he did not think he
was doing anything wrong, but this
experience was too much for the peO-
pie.
The indignation and feeling was
great. He was cut on the street, his
paper was refused by the subscribers,
and in a few weeks PoOre saw the best
thing he could do would be to get away,
and he got.
AH old citizen of Athens states that
in conversation with Poore he cN-
pressed himself as surprised that the
people should look upon his con-
nectiou with the ball in such an UNI
pleasant manner; that he honestly
thought he was not guilty of social
improperly was apparent. Poore re-
scented his treatment by the people
of Athens ever afterwara. He spared
no opportunity to vent his spleen
against the town. He would never re-
fer to it when he could avoid il, and
years pft"rNar meeting people from
this city. he invariably conducted the
conversation 50 rs To create the i'm
preston that he was never a resident
there. He sold the Wing to an Episco-
pal minister named Flint, who in turn
disposed of the property TO the late
Philip Clayton; consul at Coltas Poore
never returned to Athens. He did not
get all of the money from the SALE of
the paper but he was so outraged by
the treatment he had received that he
preferred losing the few dollars To
making II visit To get it, The few citi-
zens living here who recolect the man
speak of him pleasantly, He is repre-
scented tC have been an amiable. pleas
ant sort of man, giving no promise of
ability or influence He was not re-
ceiyed upon terms of social equality.
His standing in the town before the
ball episode was but moderate. The
men dad not object to his associating
with him, but he was seldom or never
invited to the homes of the people.
After the ball experience his standing,
small As it was, was irrcyocably gone,
and no one had anything to do with him
except where ii was necessary in the
transaction of business.
An Electric Type Writer.